Crimson Clover

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AZAggie

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Anyone had any luck with Crimson clover? I have a field that needs nitrogen and organic material in it badly. It is the field I currently have my haygrazer in. I'm thinking of trying Crimson clover this fall. I've never grown it and I've not noticed any around here. Most people grow alfalfa out here. I don't have the money to put in a field of alfalfa right now, plus it is a big risk with the lack of rain we get here. Thoughts?
 
I broadcast 20 acres last fall, rain quit and it layed there a while. Then this spring I saw some start to sprout . Very surprised that it did. I figure I got 60% to 70% germ. I let it go to seed so I am anxious to see if I get a stand this year. The seed heads were dry but seed looked immature to me . I will most likely put another couple # per acre out again just to be on the safe side.
 
I broadcast it on the king's oat field before drilling the oats.. It's good feed and is pretty easy to get up. And seems Hardy enough. The deer will tear your fence down to get at it.
 
Its easy to plant to deep. It will reseed some but not very much. I took some seed heads out of a pasture and spread them out in another some 75 miles away on a 30 acre plowed field. Sure enough the next year some came up. There were a few scattered plants all over even though I spread them out in an area about the size of a basketball court.
 
bird dog":2yep3u1f said:
Its easy to plant to deep. It will reseed some but not very much. I took some seed heads out of a pasture and spread them out in another some 75 miles away on a 30 acre plowed field. Sure enough the next year some came up. There were a few scattered plants all over even though I spread them out in an area about the size of a basketball court.

Mine reseed extremely well year after year if I let it go to seed.
 
Where I'm planning on putting it is a 40 acre plot that we have away from our main farm. It is strictly used for crops. No water or cattle around. I'll have to keep an eye on the deer and see what they do, I know they are around. I spoke to the OSU Ag Extension office this morning and they said people used to plant quite a bit of clover around here, but for whatever reason, they don't see much anymore. He said it will do ok here, provided we get rain. I'm going to get a soil sample sent off and try to get this field in better shape. I'll see how the clover does and may expand it into some of my pastures for the cattle next year if it does well.
 
You'll like it. Broadcast or no till. Get coated seeds or buy innoculant for bare seeds. Add a few pounds of brassica for the diversity if you'd like when you drill or use a heavy drag.
 
Here , we have had better luck with the jumbo ladino, but your climate is certainly different . I believe the per acre rate is more favorable , if it will grow there .
 
I had about everyone in their mother telling me I was gonna bloat and kill all my cows planting crimson clover last year. Broadcast 10 lbs/acre over some wheat I drilled into short Bermuda. More impressed with the crimson than the wheat by far
 
5S Cattle":1dreidm0 said:
I had about everyone in their mother telling me I was gonna bloat and kill all my cows planting crimson clover last year. Broadcast 10 lbs/acre over some wheat I drilled into short Bermuda. More impressed with the crimson than the wheat by far
Beautiful country down where you are. Our problem here will be getting enough rain. It is so inconsistent. So far this year it's been pretty good, but we are still in drought conditions, and have been since I moved back in 2011. Just this week, I've had an inch at my house. 7 miles away at my work, about 1/2 inch. Where my farm is, less than 1/10th and if you go 40 miles east, they've had over 5 inches.
 
http://factsheets.okstate.edu/ Search for PSS 2585, it's a fact sheet title legumes in Oklahoma, it has a bit of information about different legumes for OK. I've had that sheet saved on my computer for later reading and stumbled onto it again the other day.
 
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